Bobbin hoisting means of stranding machines



May 30, 1950 J. H. LARMUTH BOBBIN HOISTING MEANS OF STRANDING MACHINESI5 Shets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 2, 1947 a n M Km W T I W @n J M m Y E W M 2m 1.53 r (w 1.? un-I Lin: 1H5): |A 7 W May 30, 1950 ,J LARMUTH 2,509,828

BOBBIN HQISTING MEANS OF STRANDING MACHINES Filed Oct. 2, 1947 sSheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 4.

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BOBBIN HOISTING MEANS OF STRANDING MACHINES Filed Oct. 2, 1947 i5Sheets-Sheet 5 {ac-r Md. SEE-2x511:

Altomey.

Patented May 30, 1950 BOBBIN HOISTING MEANS OF STRANDING MACHINES JohnHamilton Larmuth, Upper Colwyn Bay, North wales' Application october 2,1947, Serial No. 777,450 In Great Britain October 24, 1946 ,7 Claims.

This invention relatesto the bobbin hoisting means of stranding machinesand has for its object to provide: a novel construction which. enablesany individual bobbin to be hoisted separately or any greater number ofthe bobbins to be hoisted simultaneously at will from one hoisting pointon the machine.

A, bobbin hoisting means of a stranding machine in accordance with myinvention has a slidable, still member extending along each side of themachine and having attached to it at suitably spaced distances flexiblehoisting members each attached to a linearly guided member adapted atwill to be connected to and; disconnected from aplatfcrm for the bobbin;

The slidable stiff members are adapted to be displaced simultaneouslyalong the sides of the machine by manual and/or power operable means.

Each flexible hoisting member may consist-of a pivotal link chain oneend of which is connectedto the 'sl-idable stiff member and the otherend to the linearly guided member.

Each linearly guided member may comprise a slide which is slidable on alinear guide and adapted to be engaged by and disengaged by hooksprovided on a linearly guided cross-member carrying or comprising theplatform.

The hooks of each cross-member may be interconnected so as to besimultaneously operable by a single operation.

The linear guides on which the slides slide may also serve to guidelinearly the cross-member, which may be arranged readily removable andreplaceable.

The means of displacement of the slidable stiff members may compriseshafts having sprocket wheels engaged'by chains connected to adjacentends of the slidable stiff members, the shafts being adapted to berotated by a ha dle and/or by a motor through suitable gearing or by anarrangement comprising a hydraulic or compressed air cylinder andpiston. or rams In. the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1c is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section and withportion broken away, of a bobbin hoisting means of a stranding machine.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation l illustrating a modificationof a detail.

Figure 3 is airagmentary side elevation illustrating anothermodification of a detail.

Figure 4 is an end view in, section of the said bobbin hoisting means,andis drawn to allarger scale.

so that it is free to slide longitudinally on the said rail. In verticalregister with the centre of each bobbin cradle 3, of which four areshown for the purpose of illustration I provide at each side of themachine linear guide member, shQWn as a vertical upright 4 of channelsection with its channel facing inwards. The upper end of the upright ,4is secured to the underside of the said rail by an upper bracket 5 ofinverted channel section and the lower end of the upright 4 is securedby a lowerbracket E of angle section to across-strip: l secured at itsends to lower rails 8 fixed to the foundation and parallel with thehorizontal rails l. Each upper bracket 5 forms a double bearing for anofiset short shaft 9 on which an idle sprocket wheel It is secured, apart of one flange of the upright 4 being cut away to accommodate a partof the sprocket wheel in and the, bracket 5 and horizontal rail havingregistering apertures through which the sprocket wheel in projects intothe channel of the bar 2. The sprocket wheels Ill serve to position thebars 2 laterally without preventing longitudinal sliding thereof.

A flexiblehoisting member, shown as a pivotal link, draft chain ll,runson each idle sprocket wheel Hi. The upper end of the chain H issecured in the channel of the respective bar 2 and the chain extendsdownwards along the channel of the respective upright d, the idlesprocket wheellll serving to change the direction of travel of the chainl l irom the vertical to the-horizontal and: vice versa.

The sprocket wheels H1 and chains Ill serve to-pesition the bars, 2laterally without preventing longitudinally sliding thereof.

The lower end of each chain H is secured to the upper, end of a linearlyguided member, shown as a slide I 2 which slides on to the respectiveupright 4 and. comprises a casting whichruns in the channel of theupright i and- 112s lugs i3 extending over the edges of the flanges ofthe upright 4 and-across: the sides thereof, and a plate It extendingacross the outerside of the web of the upright land secured to the lugsit. Each lug I 3: has anupwardly pointing-nose l5, Figure 3 4 thepurpose of which will hereinafter become apparent.

A bobbin carrying member, shown as a movable platform support I6 ofchannel section extends between the two uprights 4 provided for eachbobbin cradle 3. The support It has its web cut out at its ends so thatit embraces the flanges of the uprights 4 and is therefore guided in thelongitudinal direction of the machine by the uprights t and is thereforeconstrained, when raised or lowered, to rise or fall vertically in exactregister with the axes of the bearings provided on the cradle 3 for thebobbin shaft.

The support Hi can be placed in position and removed readily withoutfastening or unfastening any part.

To establish connection between the support I t and the slides E2 on therespective two uprights 4, a horizontal pivot pin H is mounted in theflanges of the support It at each end thereof and a hook I8 is mountedon the pin i? at the outer side of each flange of the support it so asto be oscillatable. Each two hooks t8 on the same pin are tied togetherby rigid ties is so that they oscillate together. A bent pivotedconnecting rod extends externally along one side of the support I6 andhas one end connected at iii to one of the coupled pair of hooks isabove the pivot pin I1 thereof and the other end connected at 22 to oneof the other coupled pair of hooks 48 below the pivot pin I! of the saidother pair, whereby, when one pair of hooks is moved in one directionthe rod 2i! causes the other pair automatically to be movedsimultaneously in the reverse direction. The hooks 13 are adapted to beengaged from below by the hereinbefore mentioned lugs l3 when in anouter position and to be clear of the lugs l3 when in the innerposition.

Each support it has mounted on it a bobbin platform 23 the base of whichlies in the channel of the support it and the supporting surfaces ofwhich are sufficiently elevated above the support it to enable thebobbin 2% resting on the said surfaces to be raised into position in thecradle 3 from below without the fouling of the support it with therotary member 25 of the stranding machine.

In operation, when the two bars 2 are displaced simultaneously in therequisite direction they pull the upper ends of all the chains l lsimultaneously in the same horizontal direction and the lower ends ofthe chains H are all simultaneously caused to rise to the same extent inthe channels -of the uprights i and therefore all the slides I2 arecaused simultaneously to slide to the same extent upwards on theuprights 4. If the hooks P8 of all the supports it are in the innerposition and therefore not engaged by the lugs 13 on the slides I2 bymeans of the noses l5, the supports 16 and therefore the platforms 23and bobbins 2'4 thereon remain unraised. If however the hooks l8 of anyone of the supports it are moved by hand into the outer position whilstas shown in Figure 4 the slides l2 are in the lowermost position, theraising of the slides l2 causes the noses l5 of the lugs M of the slidesi2 associated with that particular support l 6 to engage the hooks I 8and thereupon lift only that particular support It and thereby lift theplatform 23 and bobbin 2t associated with the said support. When howeverthe hooks l8 of some or all of the supports iii are moved into the outerposition whilst the slides I2 are in the lowermost position, the saidsupports I6 will be lifted simultaneously when the bars 2 are displacedin the correct direction.

Therefore by the correct setting of the hooks l8 a bobbin can be hoistedinto position in any single one of the cradles 3, or bobbins can besimultaneously hoisted into any selection of the cradles 3, or bobbinscan be hoisted simultaneously into position in all of the cradles 3.Unloading of empty bobbins can likewise be effected singly orsimultaneously in any series or all together, the lowering of thesupport It or supports 16 after the corresponding platform or platforms23 have been raised to support it, being effected by allowing the twobars 2 simultaneously to slide back into the initial position under theWeight of the chains ll, slides I2, and any platform or platforms 23support or supports l6 and empty bobbin or bobbins thereon.

To actuate the bars 2 simultaneously in the hoisting direction, theremay be shafts 25 mounted in brackets 26 at or near one end of themachine and adapted to be rotated by an electric motor 21 through gearwheels 28, 2s, a countershaft 30, sprocket wheels 3| and 32 and anendless driving chain 33. Each shaft 25 has a sprocket wheel 3t fixed toit and meshing with two pivotal link chains 35 one end of each of whichis connected to the correct end of one of the bars 2. The other end ofeach chain 35 is anchored at 36 to the corresponding rail i so that itforms a loop which carries a jockey sprocket wheel 3? which is weightedby means of a rotatable stirrup 33 carrying a weight 39. A releasablelocking pawl and ratchet (not shown) associated with the shaft 30 orother suitable locking means are provided to prevent unwanted rotationof the shaft in the lowering direction. Suitable starting and reversingmeans and automatic stop means which are already well-known inconnection with electric motors are provided to control th motor andprevent overrunning of the shafts 25.

In addition to or in lieu of the electric motor, there may be ajournalled operating shaft 40, Figure 3, having a gear wheel 4| in meshwith the gear wheel 29, the shaft 40 also having a hand wheel 42 orhandle, rotation of which in the requisite direction causes the bars 2to be pulled longitudinally in the hoisting direction.

Furthermore in lieu of an electric motor, there may be a hydraulic orcompressed air cylinder 13 fixed to each rail I, Figure 2, for operatinga hydraulic or compressed air piston or ram 44 which slides in thecylinder and is connected by a stirrup 45 to the jockey pulley 37 ofeach chain 35. When th pistons or rams 44 are projected hydraulically,the chains 35 are pulled in such a way as simultaneously to pull thebars along longitudinally in the requisite direction. Alternatively therams ma be fixed and the cylinders connected to the jockeypulleys.

Any other suitable means may be employed to operate the bars.

The vertical uprights 4 support or assist in supporting the horizontalrails i against the load created by the bobbins and other rising andfalling parts. Instead of channel section uprights t, they may betubular to contain the chains 4 and slides and have vertical slotsthrough which the slides are connected to the hooks l8.

Ropes or flexible cables may beremployed in--- stead of chains, andgrooved jockey pulleys and a winding gear be provided accordingly.

I claim:

1. A bobbin hoisting mechanism of a stranding machine comprising aslidable member extending along each side of the machine, flexiblehoisting members attached to the slidable members at spaced distancesalong their lengths, guided bobbin carrying members, linearly guidedmembers attached to the flexible hoisting members, and means on thebobbin carrying members for separately disconnecting the said bobbincarrying members from and separately connecting the said bobbin carryingmembers to the said linearly guided members at will.

2. A bobbin hoisting mechanism of a stranding machine, comprising aslidable member extending along each side of the machine, flexiblehoisting members attached to the slidable membgrs at spaced distancesalong their lengths, guided bobbin carrying members, linearly guidedmembers attached to the hoisting members, disengageable means forconnecting the bobbin carrying members to the linearly guided members,and means for sliding the slidable members simultaneously at will.

3. A bobbin hoisting mechanism of a stranding machine, comprisingslidable members at the sides of the machine, pivotal link chainsconnected at one end to the said members at spaced distances along theirlengths, linearly guided members provided at the other end of the saidchains, bobbin carrying members, and means for connecting the bobbincarrying members to and disconnecting them from the linearly guidedmembers at will.

4. A bobbin hoisting mechanism of a stranding machine, comprisingslidable members extending along the sides of the machine, flexiblehoisting members connected at spaced distances apart along the slidablemembers, linearly guided members attached to the hoisting members,linearly guided bobbin carrying members, and displaceable hooks on thebobbin carrying members for individual connection of the bobbin carryingmembers to and disconnection of the bobbin carrying members from thelinearly guided members at will.

5. A bobbin hoisting mechanism of a stranding machine, comprisingslidable members extending along the sides of the machine, flexiblehoisting members connected at spaced distances apart to the slidablemembers, a plurality of linearly guided members attached to the hoistingmembers, a bobbin carrying member associated with each two 6 linearlyguided members, two displaceable engaging devices provided on eachcarrying member for connection of each bobbin carrying member to the twolinearly guided members with which it is associated, and a rodconnecting the two displaceable engaging devices together for causingdisplacement of either of the two displaceable engaging devices ondisplacement of the other and causing thereby the connection ordisconnection of the bobbin carrying member to the two linearly guidedmembers by a single operation.

6. A bobbin hoisting mechanism of a stranding machine, comprisinglongitudinally slidable members extending along the sides of themachine, flexible hoisting members connected to the slidable members atspaced distances apart, linear guide members at the sides of themachine, slides attached to the flexible hoisting members and guided bythe guide members, movable bobbin carrying members arranged crosswise ofthe machine and guided by the said guide members, and disconnectablemeans for connection of the bobbin carrying members and disconnection ofthe same from the slides at will.

7. A bobbin hoisting mechanism of a stranding machine, comprisinglongitudinally slidable, stiff members mounted at the sides of themachine, pivotal link chains connected by one end to the said members atspaced distances apart, a slide provided on the other end of each chain,bobbin carrying members arranged crosswise of the machine, means foroptional connection of any of the bobbin carrying members to acorresponding pair of the slides, draft chains connected to the slidablestiff members, shafts mounted on the machine, sprocket wheels mounted onthe shafts and engaged by the draft chains, and means for rotating theshafts simultaneously at will.

JOHN HAMILTON LARMUTH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS:

Number Name Date 1,960,452 Parsons May 29, 1934 2,443,014 Suggs June 8,1948

